Getty Gallery: 6/6
No. 1 SF LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
For all the speculation surrounding James, the Akron native has been mostly silent about his future. In an April interview with Cleveland.com, James noted the two key criteria that he will be considering is winning and his family.
"My family. That's all that matters," James told Cleveland.com. "I want to continue to win at the highest level, because I know I can still do it as an individual, and then my family. My family is what's most important to me, more than anything."
What this means in practical terms only James knows. James has been outspoken about his family's frustration with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert after his public criticism of James' departure to Miami. Fans could interpret his statement as meaning he wants to leave the Cavs, but it could also mean his family enjoys being back in Ohio. The winning part is a little less subjective as the Cavs long-term contending hopes appear to be in doubt. There is a good portion of the Cavs roster who have underperformed, and are on bloated contract. This makes it difficult for Cleveland to offer James much in the way of promises when it comes to improving the team.
What James showed this year is his presence on a team instantly makes it a title contender. This was far from the most talented roster James has played on, but the team was still able to make the NBA finals. Teams like the Rockets and Sixers will offer James more help around him. The bigger question is how James wants this portion of his career to be defined. Does his family want to live in Los Angeles where they have two houses? Is the Sixers young roster enough to entice James to head to Philly? Will James' close relationship with Chris Paul cause him to seriously consider the Rockets? The myth of big markets being the deciding factor for free agents has essentially been proven false at this point, thanks to the internet. James' friend and business partner Maverick Carter said just that on The Rich Eisen Show.
“These days it doesn’t matter because you can be known and be a star from anywhere – anywhere in the world,” Carter said on The Rich Eisen Show (via The Orange County Register). “I mean, could he sell a few more sneakers if he was in a gigantic market like Boston, Chicago, New York, or L.A.? Maybe. But not as much as if he wins. What matters the most is if he wins. When you win as an athlete, that matters the most.”
What we do know is this summer's NBA free agency will be must watch television thanks in large part to James, who has only gotten better with age. While a return to Cleveland is not out of the question, James will have more attractive options this summer, if winning is the top priority for King James.
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